Apparatus for sterilizing and cleansing bottles.



T. G. BATES. APPARATUS FOR STERILIZING AND CLEANSING BOTTLES.

APPLICATION FILED QOT.16.1903.

PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

Witnesses 5 m DTUPJMM APPARATUS FQR STE'RILEZING AND cLEaNsiNe BQTTLES.

Specification of Letters Patent,

Patented Feb. 20, 1906.

Application filed October 16, 1903. serial No. 177,270.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE C. BATES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of "Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Im rovement in Apparatusfor Sterilizi'ng and leansing Bottles, of which the following is aspecification accompanied by drawings forming a part of the same, inwhich- Figure 1 re resents a central vertical sectional view of anapparatus embod ing my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of t e apparatuswith the cover'removed. Fig. 3 is a detached view, on a larger scale, fone of the cages for supporting a-bottle during the operation ofcleansing; and Fig.4 is a top view of the same.

Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts in thedifferent views.

My resent invention relates to anap aratus or sterilizing and cleansingbottlbs, carboys, and like vessels by which all obj ectionable germs arekilled and all impurities are removed from the inside and from theoutside of the bottles for holding and conveying any matter, but moreespecially for bottled spring-water, ginger-ale, beer, wine, orothereverages, by the agency of heat, moisture, and mechanical agitationunder sanitary conditions, which reduce the handling of the bottles andtheir contact with the outer air to a minimum; and it consists in thecon struction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described, andpointed out in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanyin drawings, 1 denotes a box or receptacle preerably constructed of boiler-plate iron and having an open top closed bya cover 2. A few inches from the bottom 3 of the box I insert a falsebottom 4, the space between the bottom'and false bottom constituting asteam chest or chamber 5 into which steam is admitted at one end underressure from a pipe 6, communicating with a pipe 7, leading to a boileror other source of steam-supply. The opposite end of the steam-cham er 5communicates by an exhaust-pipe 8 with-a steam-trap 9, which may be ofany known form of construction and is not shown in detail. ing throughthe bottom 3 and false bottom 4 is a waste-pipe for removing the waterof condensation from the box 1 above the false bottom 4. The steam-strap9 also communicates with the waste-pipe 10, and the Passpipe 7 isconnected with the waste-pipe 10 by a drip-pipe 11. Inserted in the.false bottom 4 and communicating with the steam-chamber 5 are a seriesof small pipes 12, throu h which steam may pass in, small jets from t esteam-chamber 5 into the cleansing-chamber 13. Attached to the sides ofthe box 1 are brackets or angle-plates 14, u on which rest the removablebaskets an 16, in which the vessels to be cleansed are supported. Eachof the baskets 15 and 16 consists of a pair of arallel frames 17 and 18,constructed of ban -iron and connected togetherat intervals by braces19. Strung across the frames 17 and 18 at regular intervals and at rightangles to each other are a series of Wires 20 21, attached ,at theirends to the frames of band-iron, with the wires 20 running in onedirection interlacing the wires 21 running at.

right angles thereto.

Supported in each of the squares formed by the crossed wires 20 and 21are cages adapted to receive the neck of a bottle or vessel to becleansed in the position represented in Fig. 3. These cages consist ofan annular wire 22 in the plane of the upper frame 17 of sufficientdiameter to receive the enlarged portion of the neck where it joins thebody of the bottle and an annular wire 23 in the plane of the frame 18,adapted to receive the mouth of the bottle when the bottle is insertedtherein in an inverted position, as shown at A in Fig. 3.

The annular wires 22 and 23 are joined by connecting-wires 24, 'andtheyare supported 11'1 osition by stay-wires 25, bywhich the annulbr wires22 and 23 are connected with the interlaced wires 20 21. The annularwires 22 and 23,with their connected stay-wires, form a funnel-shapedcage for the rece tion of the neck of the bottle in an inverte position,a series of these cages being supported by each of the baskets 15 and16. The cages are arranged in the frames so as to bring the bottlessupported therein concentric with the steampipes 12, so that when abottle is placed in position the free and open end of the steam pipe 12will pass through the neck into the body of the bottle, as representedby broken lines in Fig. 3.

The operation of my apparatus is as follows: The baskets 15 and 16 areplaced in osition on their supportin -brackets 14. 'Fhe box is closedand steam a mitted to the chamber 5 through the pipes 12 to the chamber13 until the entire structure is thoroughly heatof the steam-trap 9, itwill be caused to flow in powerful jets through the vertical pipes 12and impinge against the bottom and inner surfaces of the bottles,killing any germ life therein' or thereon by excessive heat and looseninany impurities that may be attached t ereto by mechanical agitation andflowing in streams of condensed Water from the mouths of the bottles,and the operation is continued until the bottles are thoroughlysterilized and cleansed.

What I claim as my invention, and desire tosecure by LettersPatent, is

1. In a bottle-cleansing apparatus, the combination of a chamberhavingan open top, a cover for hermetically sealing said top, ar'false bottomdividing said chamber. and forming a steam-chest, means for admittingsteam underpressure to said steam-chest, a

series of open pipes extending upwardly from I said false bottom andcommunicating with said steam-chest, a frame vertically remov- The boxis then 0 osed able through the open top of said chamber and com risinga series of cages in alinement With sai' open steam-pipes, said eagleshaving openin s at their top to support t e body of the bott e and anopening at the bottom to receive the neck of the bottle and hold thebottle in an inverted upri ht position, and means for supporting saidame above said false bottom.

2. In a bottle-cleansing apparatus, the combination of a chamber havingan open top, acover for hermetically sealing said top, a false bottomdividing said chamber and forming a steam-chest, means for admittingsteam: under pressure to said steam-chest, a series of open pipesextending upwardly from said false bottom and communicating with saidsteam-chest, and a bottle-supporting frame vertically removable throughthe open top of said chamber.

3. In an apparatus for cleansing bottles, a

basket for holding the bottles to be cleansed,

consisting of a series of'interlaced Wires in an upper and a lowerplane, wire cages held by said interlaced Wires having openings at theirtop to support the body of the bottle and an o ening at the bottom toreceive the neck of t e bottle and hold the bottle in an invertedposition.

Dated this 13th day of October, 1903.

THEODORE C(BATES. Witnesses ERNEST S. BOTHWELL, WILLIAM H. TYLEE.

